


she takes her throne

by orro



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cults, For Want of a Nail, Gen, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 14:43:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5590198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orro/pseuds/orro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ishizu is heir to the Ishtar clan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	she takes her throne

**Author's Note:**

> thank you, fiver.

“Can I see your back, Ishizu?” Malik asks on the day before his tenth birthday. 

“Sure,” Ishizu says. She needs a break from studying anyway. Disrobing enough to show the prominence of her scar is simple in front of Malik but one day she’ll need to sit down and figure out a better way to go about it should the pharaoh ever return in her lifetime.

Malik doesn’t say anything, which is an oddity for a boy who always has a sarcastic comment to make, and the silence grows long enough that Ishizu turns around to look at him, pressing her dress to her breast tighter in her concern. 

Malik’s face has gone pale, and his eyes hold so much fear, such that Ishizu has never seen. She quickly puts her dress back on but the look doesn’t dim. 

“That’s horrible,” Malik chokes out before she can ask him anything. 

Ishizu blinks and frowns a little. “It did hurt, of course, Malik, but this is an honor. I’m the eldest and it’s my responsibility as heir to carry the rite.” 

“The-Father did that to you?” Malik says. 

“He’s Lord, yes. I inherited it. And he’s the only one who knows it,” Ishizu says. 

“Rishid says this won’t happen to me,” Malik whispers. 

“It won’t. Not unless I die. And I don’t have any intention of dying,” Ishizu says with a comforting smile. 

Malik looks up at her and takes a shaky breath. “Father might still…” 

“He won’t. Why would he? I’m the heir, not you, Malik. And only the heir takes the scars,” Ishizu says. 

Malik thinks that over then nods. 

“Good. I’m sorry about your back, Ishizu.” 

“It’s an honor,” Ishizu says. 

“But didn’t it hurt?” 

“It did,” she says. She could never deny that. But she bears the scars and she is the heir to the Ishtar clan. It is her duty and she is proud of that. 

“Then I don’t see how it’s an honor. It just looks painful.” 

“You’re too young to understand then.” Ishizu shakes her head at him but smiles. It’s not something he has to concern himself about. “I’m sorry if I scared you.” 

Malik jerks a little at that. 

“You can’t scare me,” he says, far too loftily for a boy who won’t even leave his room without a candle. 

Ishizu reaches out to tousle his hair and says nothing. Little brothers, she thinks to herself, and Malik scampers off as usual to go cause trouble for Rishid. 

#

“Haleem has a good blood line,” her father says. 

“Good,” Ishizu repeats, trying to force some interest into her voice. These dinners take away from time she could be spending with the rest of the clan. But this too is technically for them; one day she will need to marry and she’ll need a strong husband by her side. 

But it’s hard when none of the men she’s met are actually men; they’re all still boys. It’s hard to explain the difference to her father who just wants grandchildren at this point. 

Ishizu finishes up her hair and has to keep from sighing. She’s been doing this for two years now, ever since she turned sixteen, and it’s just as dull as every other time before. She greets the boy in question, greets his family, makes light chit chat that is assuring to them because she knows them like her father never did. It’s taken time but she’s got a good handle on each of the tombkeepers that live down here with her. 

Her father has cared about the tombkeepers in general terms but Ishizu tries to get to know them a little more personally. Rishid and Malik say it just creates more work for her. They are right, of course, but it’s work that Ishizu is glad to do. They have protected the pharaoh for thousands of years because they have all worked together. It wouldn’t do to forget that the Ishtars are not the only people down in the tombs. 

Ishizu knows that Haleem is one of the goldsmiths. She doesn’t smile but it’s a very near thing; her father originally tried priests and scribes, but she supposes that at this point, he’s a little less picky. Luckily these meetings have gone from weekly to monthly. Otherwise Ishizu would have ordered them monthly; they take up far too much time as it is but this is the one thing Father is insistent on. And while he allows her to manage most of the daily business he is still Lord.

“I brought you a gift, Lady Ishizu,” Haleem says, and he pulls out a gold chain from his pocket. 

It’s beautiful but Ishizu doesn't touch it. She lets her Father take and inspect it. 

“Thank you,” she says as sincerely as possible. She loves gold, and she loves jewelry, but that’s not uncommon for any of them. Malik wears enough gold for three people some days. Haleem begins to talk, and Ishizu forces herself to listen. It only takes her a minute to realize he is not the type for her. 

Though what her type is Ishizu hasn’t a clue and is in no rush to find out any time soon. Her father can tell her lack of interest and his expression grows stormy but Ishizu can’t help her lack of feelings for the man. It’s not even feelings; it’s boredom. 

When she finally is done, she goes straight to the library, hoping to finish up on what she had to put aside for the whole affair. Some of the older altars need replacing and Father is insistent it get done sooner rather than later. But every sculptor is angling for the job and it’s a difficult process to ensure some measure of fairness, not to mention gaining the materials needed. She’s not too surprised to find Malik lounging in her chair. 

“Get up. I have work to finish,” she says, poking his cheek. 

“How was this one?” Malik asks as he bites into a bread roll. He takes his time but he does eventually get out of her seat. 

“He is a good person. But I don’t think I would care to have him as my husband,” Ishizu says as she begins to rearrange her piles of paperwork. 

Malik doesn’t bother to hide a laugh. “I bet Rishid that Father will give up sometimes this year.” 

“Malik, I’ve told you to stop betting on my love life.” 

“What love life?” he crows. “You reject every single man you’ve met so far. And that’s not a small number, my dear sister. I think we’re running out of tombkeeper boys to present to you.” 

“I don’t feel guilty for refusing to settle for whichever boy is nice enough. If we’re to keep the tombkeepers flourishing then I needed someone strong and capable by my side.” 

“Okay, Father,” Malik says with a disgusted scowl. 

“Stop calling me ‘Father’,” Ishizu says without any real plea. She’s asked him a hundred times and for whatever reason he considers it a scathing insult. So he won’t stop using it any time soon. 

“Then stop talking like him,” Malik says sweetly. He brushes the bread crumbs off his shirt onto her desk. Ishizu takes a sheaf of paper and waves them back at him.

“Stop talking like the Lord of the clan, as I’m meant to be?” Ishizu asks. She expects no answer and she doesn’t look up at Malik, her mind already on sorting through all of the available sculptors with skill enough to handle the jobs. 

“I feel bad for you, Ishizu,” Malik says and he leaves promptly after. 

That’s enough to make Ishizu look up but Malik is already out of the library. She doesn’t move for a moment, trying to figure out his words. But there is nothing to pity her for. Ishizu returns to her work, unbothered.

#

Ishizu glances at the request for access to the genealogy records then gives a double take when she notices that it’s Malik’s name. She rubs at her eyes and decides it’s time to go to sleep; Malik decidedly has no interest in the family history. It’s all she can do to keep him going aboveground every time there’s a shipment of goods. 

But despite a good night’s sleep it’s still his name on the form when she looks at it the next day. She calls for him and spends the time pretending to work on other requests and business. The confident writing keeps dragging her attention away and it’s a relief when Malik finally saunters in. 

“Yo.” 

“What is this?” Ishizu asks without preamble. 

“Paper,” Malik says. He pretends to look closer but Ishizu can tell he’s well aware of what it is. “Paper with ink on it.” 

“Malik.” 

“Ishizu,” Malik says, pulling a face. Ishizu sighs and sets the form down. 

“Why do you want access to the genealogy records? You do know that you have access to them already without needing permission. You’re an Ishtar.” 

“The scribes keep on kicking me out of the libraries,” Malik says with a scowl. “I want your permission to shut them up. And because you clearly haven’t read it, because I want permission for the restricted records, not just the private ones. Only you and Father have access to these.” 

“Why?” Ishizu asks again. 

Malik looks away. “Because.” 

Ishizu closes her eyes for a moment. 

“Malik.”

“I don’t have to tell you.”

“If you want me to sign this then you will,” Ishizu says, keeping her face carefully blank. Malik looks at her then gives her a lopsided smile. 

“You sound like Father,” he says, his tone sharp, belying his look. 

“You’re making this much more difficult than it needs to be,” Ishizu says. “I would ask the same question of anyone. These records have been maintained for thousands of years. We protect them even from our own.” 

“‘Thousands of years’,” Malik repeats in a mocking tone. He shoves his hands in his pockets and looks up. “Do you think I’ll color on them like a kid? I’ll get some nice red ink and draw the prettiest picture I can for you, Big Sister-” 

“Your request is denied,” Ishizu says and sets the form aside. She meets Malik’s glare with a cool look, hoping he doesn’t do anything too crazy. “You can ask again later once you feel like telling me the reason you’re asking for them.” 

Malik turns on his heel and stalks away, slamming the door shut behind him. Ishizu sighs and pulls out the form again, staring at i, as if it has the answer. Malik is the only one with the answer for even if Rishid knew he wouldn’t tell. 

“Stubborn,” Ishizu mutters to herself and returns to her work. 

It’s later that night almost morning really when she wakes up and finds Malik in her room. She keeps from groaning but it’s a near thing. Ishizu glances around but if he used a candle to come to her room then he’s snuffed it out already.

“Malik?” 

“I wanted to talk to you.” 

“Can it wait?” Ishizu asks. It’s not an emergency otherwise he would have shaken her awake. She doesn’t kick when woken up unlike other difficult little brothers.

“No,” Malik says simply and Ishizu fights off a groan. It’s hard to tell the time in the tombs and Ishizu is too asleep for her internal clock to tell her anything other than ‘go back to sleep’

“Malik…”

“Don’t tell,” Malik murmurs and looks down at his feet. “I want to see how I’m related to certain people.”

Ishizu tries to think but her mind is clouded from sleep still and Malik, despite being dear to her, is not someone she wishes to engage when she’s anything less than her best. But he is her brother and he has come to her so early for a reason. 

“I don’t understand,” Ishizu admits. 

“Ishizu,” Malik says impatiently. 

“I just woke up, Malik,” Ishizu says with a groan at last. She covers her face with her blanket, blocking him out even though she’s certain that Malik won’t leave. He’s too stubborn for that but it’s too early in the morning to play these games. Malik comes over to her bed, kneeling down and staring at her. It's unnerving enough that Ishizu groans again and sits up. “What is it?” 

“You can’t tell anyone.” Malik repeats with an intense stare. 

“I get that. I understand completely. Now please stop speaking in riddles-” 

“You know how Father insists you have all of these dinners with nice young men who are supposedly deemed worthy of becoming an Ishtar?” Malik says. 

Ishizu blinks. 

“And it’s like the only time he pays attention to you nowadays. He’s always holed up with the altars but it’s okay because everyone prefers you. But it’s the only time he comes out and he makes sure you go to these and he makes sure to know the boys. And you’re the one he’s always going on about having an heir and continuing the Ishtar line. And I don’t even think he cares about me since I’m not the heir; he just asks if I’m studying and I say yes, because I am, but even if I wasn’t, would he really care? I’m backup in case you die. But it’s okay because I don’t even want to live in this stupid tomb. I want to go outside and live there but I’m not stuck here all the time like you are so I guess it’s okay.” 

“Malik, please,” Ishizu pleads.

Malik puts his head down in his arms, but luckily his voice was strong enough that Ishizu could hear it. 

“I want to make sure I’m not related to anyone that I might like, okay?” 

“Malik, you idiot,” Ishizu groans and flops back down onto the bed. “You could have told me that from the beginning.” 

“I couldn’t,” he insists with all the seriousness of a fourteen year old. 

“Yes, you have my permission. I’ll sign your form. You do know I would have figured it out when you started skulking off for dates, right?” Ishizu says. 

“You wouldn’t have noticed,” he says loftily. 

“You’re clever but you’re not that sneaky. I already know that Rishid helps you leave the tombs.” Ishizu says and she glances at Malik in time to see his face blanch. “I won’t tell Father. You know I won’t.” 

Malik stammers something but it’s too broken for Ishizu to even begin to parse it. He has to take a few moments. But in that time Ishizu decides sleep would be wonderful and when she wakes up, Malik is long gone. 

The requisition form is gone and Ishizu goes to the genealogy records, unsurprised to see Malik there. 

“Thanks, Ishizu!” Malik chirps, and the scribe is standing off in the room, keeping a close eye on Malik. 

The scribe greets Ishizu politely but there’s some anger there underneath. Ishizu ignores him but makes a mental note that he could be troublesome. When everyone is stuck together like they are underground it can be difficult to avoid tensions and ill feelings. But Ishizu granted Malik permission.

“Do you want my help?” Ishizu asks. 

“No, thanks,” Malik says right away and Ishizu isn’t surprised at that. She makes an effort not to look at the names he’s looking at. 

“Should I be worried you’ve taken such an initiative? Are you to be married before me?” 

“I don’t want deformed children, Ishizu,” Malik says in a serious tone. 

Ishizu can’t help a smile but she leaves Malik to his work. It’s a good idea on his part; Ishizu hasn't even thought about it since her father is the one with a vested interest in having grandchildren and heirs.

A week later Ishizu sees Malik eating lunch with a boy. The boy is feeding him by hand and they both look like they’re enjoying it though Ishizu isn’t sure how it’s supposed to be romantic. 

She says nothing to him but when she runs into Rishid later she stops him. He twitches a little when he sees her but he calms down once he sees her smiling.

“Malik knows deformed children aren’t going to come of his relationship, doesn’t he?”

“I tried to explain it but he kept insisting it was a risk he didn’t want to take,” Rishid says gravely. Too gravely. Ishizu blinks and notices that he’s keeping from smiling. It must be his loyalty to Malik that’s keeping him from outright laughing. 

“I don’t think we’ve ever prepared for Malik in a relationship, Rishid,” Ishizu says. 

“I assure you I’ve spoke with him about his safety and health,” Rishid says. 

“No, I meant whatever peace we had will now be gone,” Ishizu says and Rishid turns away to hide a smile. 

Sure enough the entire clan feels the aftershocks and reverberations when Malik’s first relationship lasts a week. It’s almost impressive that their father takes no notice of the event. He doesn’t even notice when Ishizu has to get his approval for more lumber since quite a few doors have been broken down and are in need of repair and replacement.

#

There’s laughter and it’s depressing to say but there usually isn’t laughter this far into the tunnels. Ishizu holds her candle up and follows the sound, stopping at the altar of the Northern Gods. She sighs to herself as she recognizes Malik’s voice and steps in carefully. 

Luckily both boys are clothed. In fact, they don’t look anything like they were having sex. Instead they are wrapped around one another, murmuring and talking, off in their own little world. Ishizu is spared having to say anything when the other boy realizes that she’s there. He shoots up and begins bowing. 

Malik is frozen in place which is just as well, because Ishizu isn’t entirely sure how to get through this with the least amount of awkwardness as possible. As it is Malik will probably avoid her for a month thanks to this. 

“My Lady, I-I’m so sorry, I know I shouldn’t be here. It isn’t my place. Please don’t punish Malik for this, it was my suggestion,” he stammers. 

“I’m sure it wasn’t,” Ishizu says. Malik is the one always sneaking into the altars, well aware of the offerings times, knowing when he’s least likely to get caught. To her knowledge he’s only been caught once and it wasn’t by Father but by another acolyte who messed up the times. “Though perhaps we should leave. No one needs to know, after all.” 

The boy shoots up and nods furiously. Malik slowly peels himself from the floor, avoiding Ishizu’s glance. She lets them walk ahead and ignores their furious looks and attempts to communicate without using their words. As soon as they reach the more common areas of the tombs, the boy turns around and bows to Ishizu again. 

“Thank you, Lady Ishizu,” he says and then runs off. Ishizu is rather certain that he runs into one of the walls but she says nothing until he is gone.

“I like him,” Ishizu says lightly. 

Malik is blushing, the most red that Ishizu has ever seen him, and she’d like to keep looking at him because love is a good look on her little brother but she averts her look. It’s probably not healthy to blush that bright for too long. 

“Ishizu, I-” 

“Malik, when will you accept that I won’t tell Father?” Ishizu says, unable to hide some of the weariness from her voice. 

“No, that wasn’t it.” Malik says, a little surprised at her. “I wanted to say thank you. I know we’re not supposed to be in the altar rooms but it’s hard to find a place where we can be alone. And I really like Faisal. He doesn’t care that I’m an Ishtar and he fights with me and I feel like he actually likes me, not that I’m like some way to climb up the ranks.” 

Ishizu smiles then bumps into Malik slightly, jostling his shoulder. 

“So his name is Faisal.” 

Malik blushes again and Ishizu doesn’t hold back a laugh. 

#

There are no birds in the tombs but Ishizu hears the cry of one all the same. Her eyes open as the cry echoes throughout her room. It’s dark, probably the middle of the night still, but it barely registers to her. 

Ishizu sits up and it takes far too much energy to move; it feels as though she’s moving through the stone itself. Her every movement is slow and sluggish. She hears the cry again and forces herself to stand. It’s a hawk even though she’s never heard or seen one in the flesh. 

“I hear you,” Ishizu murmurs and begins to follow. 

She stumbles more than walks, but she doesn’t even feel the dirt accumulating on her legs nor the gradual skinning of her knees. It doesn’t occur to her hold onto the walls. She must follow and she must listen.

“What are you doing, Ishizu?” Malik asks, slow and careful. 

Ishizu blinks, and tries to focus on Malik. He came from nowhere. But it’s hard. He keeps jumping around and the lights are flickering too much for her to focus on anything for long. 

“He’s calling me,” Ishizu says. “Go to bed, Malik.” 

“You woke me up. I think you fell down,” Malik says, trying to look at her knees, but Ishizu just keeps on walking. “What are you doing awake?”

“The Pharaoh...” she trails off uncertainly, not sure what she was about to say. “The Item, his Items, it needs me.”

“The Item? You mean the Millennium Items?” Malik asks. 

“Yes. No. I heard a voice calling me,” Ishizu says finally. 

“Okay.” Malik says. He bites his lip and takes a step towards her, going to take her by the arm. Ishizu takes a step back. He cannot touch her. He cannot stop her and he will try. “Okay. Let’s get you back to bed, right? You’re tired. You’re working too hard.” 

Ishizu watches him get closer and she wants to move but she can’t. Her feet are stuck to the ground. She inhales, taking in a deep breath, and now his hand is so close he can almost touch her.

“I want to _see_ ,” Ishizu cries out, dodging his outstretched hand and running off. She needs to get to the Item because it wants her, she needs to have it in her hands. 

Malik curses and follows, but he has no candle with him and so he has to feel around to make sure he doesn’t run into the walls. Ishizu doesn’t need to see. She knows where to go. The Item is calling her and she has to listen because she is Ishtar and heir and this is what she was born for. 

Ishizu has never touched the Items nor even dared to think about it. She reaches into the altar without hesitating and takes the Tauk. The chain allows her to slip it over her head and once it’s around her neck the world vanishes. 

That’s not accurate. It multiples. Colors and images and sounds she’s never even dreamed about surround her. The effect is dizzying but her feet are rooted to the ground. She cannot move. All she can do is wait and watch. 

The scenes before her are alien. This world is too bright and she wants to press her eyes shut but she can’t. The Tauk makes her watch. 

There is a boy before her, a strange looking boy, the type she has only seen in photographs that Malik has smuggled down to her. He is sitting, and when Ishizu sees what’s in his hands she can think again. 

The puzzle is complete. 

#

“Father is being disgusting,” Malik says as he watches Ishizu kneel before the altar of Horus-Re. He’s standing at the doorway and has not yet entered the room. But he knew Ishizu would start here. She has ever since she was granted the vision of their pharaoh’s return a week ago. 

“We’ve waited for so many years for this, Malik. He’s thrilled,” Ishizu says without looking up. Images dance in her head about how the pharaoh will appear in his new incarnation. she’s seen the tablet of memories but a carved stylized picture gives her imagination much leeway. 

Malik scoffs but he stills comes into the room, stepping with his left foot forward, and kneeling appropriately. She knows he isn’t worshipping. He believes but has no faith. He’s dutiful but only barely. 

“What if the Item is wrong and we’re celebrating for nothing?” Malik whispers. 

“The Items haven’t been wrong yet.” Ishizu does stop at that. As far as they know their father has never used the Items. But he claims they cannot be wrong. And he has known them for longer.

“What if the pharaoh dies before he can get here?” 

“Malik,” Ishizu says sharply. They are before the image of Pharaoh. Malik glances up at the sculpture but he doesn’t seem chastised. 

“I could never be you, Ishizu. I think I would break,” Malik murmurs so quietly it’s only that they’re in the altar room that Ishizu can hear him. 

Ishizu gets up and walks backwards out of the room, not surprised that Malik follows. He gives her a look but walks appropriately. Once they are out of the room Ishizu places her hand on his shoulder. He’s taller than her now, something she still can’t believe; she’d held him on the day of his birth once he’d been cleaned. 

“I think the clan would have been in good hands with you,” Ishizu says, smiling. 

Malik looks away and shoves his hands into his pockets. “If you say so.” 

“You would,” Ishizu says firmly. “I wouldn’t worry if something were to happen to me. I know you would protect our people and care for them.” 

Malik doesn’t say anything for a while. He tries to squirm and kick at the dirt but eventually he sighs and gives her a thankful smile. 

“I’ll let you finish then,” Malik says, and he walks off, no doubt to join up with Faisal for breakfast. 

Ishizu proceeds to the next altar. They have much to do for the Pharaoh’s return.


End file.
